Bandaging garment



March 1, 1960 e. E. SEESE BANDAGING GARMENT Filed Dec. 12, 1957 INVENTOR Gem/dine E. Seese ATTORNEY United States Patent BANDAGING GARMENT Geraldine E. Seese, Arlington, Va. hpplication December 12, 1957, Serial No. 702,433

9 Claims. (Cl. 128-455) This invention relates to surgical appliances and in particular to products for bandaging a portion of the human body. An object of this invention is the provision of a bandaging garment which effectively covers an area of the upper body and which can be securely kept in wearing position on the body either directly as a bandage itself and to maintain a supplemental bandage in place.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a bandaging garment which substantially covers one side of the body from neck to waist and may be readily donned or removed, often by the patient himself without assistance and even under conditions where the freedom of movement or agility of the patient is restricted by a physical condition.

A further object is that of providing a bandaging garment which is useful in treating maladies occurring on either the. upper right or the upper left side of the body and is useful selectively on these sides of the body as occasion may demand.

Another. object ofv the invention is the provision of a bandaging garment of the character indicated which lends itself to being turned inside out, as for example to expose :adifferent surface of the garment to the region of the body which. is to bev bandaged, and which garment whether turned inside out or inside in can be fastened around the. body ofthe wearer which equal facility.

Other objects of this invention in part will be obvious and in part pointed out more fully hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the several com- ;ponents, combination of elements, and products described herein, the scope of the application of which is set forth in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing representing a preferred embodiment of bandaging garment constructed in accordance with the present invention:

Figure 1 isa perspective view. of the garment; Eigure 2, is. a front view of the garment represented in Figure 1 being worn by a patient;

Figure 3 is a rear view of the garment represented in Figure 1 being worn by a patient; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line A--A in Figure 1 to represent the two-ply thickness of the walls of the garment.

Like reference characters denote like components throughout the several drawings.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of certain 'features of the present invention, it may be noted at this ;point that burns, operational or accidental wounds, skin infections, andqiher maladies which effect large or small portions of the human body often introduce a very con- -=covered introduces contours which often cause the bandage to slip such as after wrapping and applying tape to hold the bandage in place. Many wounds and their 2,926,665 i 'atented Mar. 1 ISGQ subsequent treatment do not tolerate the use of tape, and an example of this arises where the skin is severely in: fected or the patient is suffering from burns which would only be aggravated by the application of tape. Many of the protective bandages heretofore used call for skill in their placement and in fact the patient often has to be moved a great deal and subjected to severe pain so that the bandages may be properly. secured. In many in stances the freedom of movement of the patient is greatly impaired by the wrapping of tape to hold the bandage in place and great discomfort ensues because of this impairment and the stresses developed by movement of the patient which are transmitted to tender areas through the tape itself. Where the bandage must be changed fie; quently or at intervals over a period of evenlong dnr'a': tion, a very considerable annoyance is encountereddn removing the tape. Often skin irritation ensues by the repeated application of tape and removal of the tape from the flesh, and even if this can be tolerated fo i'a time the ultimate result is that a new bandaging method still has to be sought to avoid the difiiculty and irrita: tion produced.

An outstanding object of this invention accordingly is the provision of. a bandaging garment. which serves excel lently for the protection and treatment of injuries of .various sorts such as those represented by incisions, skin irritations, and wounds which occur through accident, the garment being one which is readily put in place to serve its function and is just as easily removed from the patient, and which garment is constructed to accommodate anyofa variety of patients imposing different requirements on size of the garment to fit in asatisfactory manner.

In the embodiment of this invention represented in the accompanying drawing, a bandaging garment generally designated 10 is formed of fabric that is soft, stretchable, and absorbent, such as a cotton jersey material; The gar ment is substantially of waist length having a front panel 11 and a rear panel 12 of approximately the same size and configuration. These panels are united at shoulder 13 and along side 14 producing in effect a half shirt having an arm 15 which extends from the shoulder, there being an arm hole 16be tween the shoulder, side and the frontand back panels of the garment. Bordering the inside end of shoulder 13. is an incomplete neck line 11. Extending from the free ends of this incomplete neck line to a hotf torn or waist edge 25 of the bandaging garment are free edges of the panelsand, of these, edge 11a is at the terminal end of front panel 11 and edge 12a is at the terminal end of back panel 12. In the embodiment repre; sented, thefront panel, rear panel, shoulder, sidej'and sleeve of the bandaging garment are constructed'two plies thick and the space between the plies has an access open ing afforded at the neck line 17 giving a pocket for purposes which will be explained more fully hereinafter. Each of the plies is bordered at the neck line by a corre; sponding marginally reinforced portion 17a. Thereinforced portion is made for example by adding two plies of the same material as is used in the body of the garment and by sewing these plies to the adjacent edge of the cor responding ply of the body of the garment. Thus, there are two superimposed reinforced portions 17a whichare free to be separated to give access between the two ply thickness of the garment wall.

Bandaging garment 10 includes means for connecting together the free ends of the incomplete collar around the neck of the wearer and meansforconnecting together the free edges 11a and 12aof the front and rear. panels around the waist of the wearer. The connecting means used can be separated to allow removal of the'garmeiit from the body of the patient and can be engaged to secure the garment in place after the garment has been d n eii- Av s sidsta ls ad an e ad y miss .Qlttii? fabric tape such as of an elastic white cloth including Woven strands of rubber and thread to encircle the desired portions of the body and these straps preferably are equipped with snap fastener portions on their free ends which cooperate with corresponding snap fastener portions connected with the other free edge of the garment which is to be fastened. As shown, the free ends of the incomplete collar 17a are extended by elastic tapes 19' and 20 respectively sewn to the body of the garment to extend the collar line, and the outer end of tape 19 supports two male snap fastener components 19a longitudinally spaced from each other along the length of the tape. The free end of tape 20 has two female snap fastener components 20a spaced longitudinally of its length near the free end of the tape and these components correspond to cornponents 19a on tape 19. The arrangement is such that any male component on tape 19 may separably engage any female component on tape 20 thus to secure the collar 17a and to modify the effective size of the collar around the neck of the patient. Tapes 19 and 20 extend over the shoulder of the patient and rest at the base of the neck thus holding collar 17 in position and also contribute vertical support to panels 11 and 12.

Elastic tapes 21 and 22 serve as panel edge extensions for interconnecting the free edges of panels 11 and 12 around the waist of the wearer and for this purpose tape 21 has its inner end sewn to front edge 11a while tape 22 has its inner end sewn to rear edge 12a. These tapes advantageously are situated near the bottom edge 25 of the bandaging garment so as to lend continuity to this edge when the tapes are interengaged. Tape 21 has a plurality of longitudinally spaced male snap fastener com ponents 21a along its length near the free edge and tape 22 likewise has a plurality of female snap fasteners 22a spaced along its length near the free end thereof. These Snap fastener components interengage to secure the tapes and depending upon which female snap fastener component and male snap fastener component are interengaged, the effective girth of the tapes coupled with the girth contributed by the front panel 11, side 14, and back panel 12 is adjusted to lend wearing comfort and a satis factory fit of the garment.

Elastic tapes 23 and 24 also are panel edge extensions sewn respectively to the free edges 11a and 12a of the front and back panels. These tapes occupy an intermediate position between collar tapes 19 and 20 and the lower panel tapes 21 and 22. Tape 23 has a plurality of male snap fasteners 23a adjacent to its free end and spaced longitudinally of the tape from each other and tape 24 a plurality of female snap fasteners 24a at the free end thereof and spaced longitudinally of the tape from each other to serve for adjustably fastening these tapes in a manner already described with reference to tapes 21 and 22.

The various structural features and practical advantages of the garment just described will be more fully appreciated in terms of its use in an actual case, as for example in the post-surgical treatment of a patient operated upon for breast cancer. The incision in such cases is frequently quite extensive, running for a considerable length up the torso to a point just below the shoulder and thence at approximately a right angle across the upper chest and roughly parallel to the shoulder line. In some instances the incision may actually continue a short distance out onto the upper arm. In addition to the incision itself the removal of skin and tissue from the area bordered by the incision leaves a large section of the body which must be protected by a suitable dressing. Moreover the post-operative procedure for breast cancer importantly involves X-ray treatments for the affected area. These treatments, however, usually result in painful radiation burns. Thus both the operation and exposure to X-rays combine to aggravate a large section of the patients body making it mandatory that she has available a bandaging appliance that will afford proper protection while causing as little additional distress and irritation as possible. This need is met quite admirably by the bandaging garment of the present invention. More specifically the nature and location of the incision in this case makes it diflicult and often impossible for the patient to raise the arm on the side of the operation with out considerable pain. Due to the construction of the bandaging garment, however, it is not necessary that the arm be raised, for with her unimpaired arm the patient can easily introduce the immobilized arm into the garment and draw it up over the shoulder. Thereafter the garment can be secured in place by engaging the fastening means. There is at no point any need for the patient to elevate the arm on the side of the operation or otherwise exert herself. in a manner which might cause great distress. The removal of the bandage is accomplished with equal facility. In this manner then the necessary portion of the body can be easily and rapidly covered and uncovered. No difficult manipulations of the body need be undergone.

As will best be seen in Figures 2 and 3, this bandaging garment, when in position, completely covers one side of the upper body of a patient. The fastening members 19 and 20 pass around the neck of the wearer and on snap components 19:; and 20a being engaged, the fastening members lend both vertical and horizontal support to the garment across the shoulder and base of the neck of the wearer. Straps 21 and 22 and straps 23 and 24 encircle the waist of the patient thereby with the aid of the snap fasteners which they carry securing the garment firmly about the patients body while providing additional horizontal support to the garment. The vertical and horizontal support afforded to the garment by the separable fasteners being engaged enables it to be maintained in place as though it were a complete garment covering the entire upper body and having a shoulder portion on both the right and left sides rather than merely on one side.

The bandaging garment 10 advantageously is produced in a single shape and size with resort to elasticity to accommodate any of a variety of users having different body sizes while being useful on either the right or left hand side of the body. Such adaptability is achieved by taking advantage of one or more structural features of the garment. First of all, it will be seen that the garment can be transferred from use on one side of the body to the other side of the body by merely turning it around, thus placing panel 11 to the rear and bringing panel 12 to the front. The patients arm corresponding to the latter-mentioned side of the body then is inserted in sleeve 13 and the garment thereafter is secured in position by joining the fastening means already described. By making panels 11 and 12 of substantially the same configuration and size, equivalent right and left hand areas of the body of symmetrical extent to one another are covered by the garment when the garment is worn on one shoulder and then on the other shoulder of the patient.

The versatility of garment 10 is further demonstrated by the fact that it is entirely reversible. Due to the nature of its construction the garment can actually-be turned inside out and applied to the same side of the body without any loss of convenience or utility. Thus, if it becomes desirable that a fresh surface be presented to the area of the body under treatment, this may be done by simply removing the garment, turning it inside out and again securing it to the sameside of the body as before. The reinforced neck, the sleeve, and the fastening means are all provided so that they can serve double duty and will function equally well regardless of which side of the garment is turned out. The fact that the garment comfortably and usefully serves a wide range of body sizes is attributable to such factors as the stretchability of the garment fabric and the characteristics of the connecting means. By making the ribbons ofelastio material or by having the fastener components present in multiple, as described, a considerable adjustment for girth is possible,

The. various. charaeteristicsyet the. aa daging garmem;

d s r bedncomection; with: i s adantabilit y o a wide.

ran e... or. siz s. may. als'oibe utilized to advantage; where, the garment; supports bandaging. material.- placed:

betweenit and-the Patie ts. body. Insuc'h cases a certam amount of tension, in the. garment. is beneficial to oldhe ban a in ate iatsueh as a a of sauzesor uced ndag ng mat ials. is. actuated: with even greater,

benefit by proyiding a garrnent having. a. twoeplay wall const uction, asv already, described and by closing all of the edgesof the. garment except for example at the neck linetoatford a, pocket for the. reception of. gauze, cotton," or like, material. In such. instance the opening between plies at the neck of the garment will permit the. easy" insertion or, removal of the. additional absorbentmateriah Whether. it ismanufactured with a single ply or. double ply wall, construction, the. garment may be used to sup; port bandaging material in any desired, location by virtue. of the, tension. previously mentioned. For example the bandage is. employed to hold in place an elongated pad.

of gauze or absorbent cotton placed over the patients shoulder and extending down either the chest or back. Likewise a bandage placed against the ribs and side of the patient and extending horizontally about the torso from. front to back. is readily supportedby the garment.

Thus. it .will be. seen that. in this invention a highly useful bandaging garment is provided with which'the various objects noted herein together with many thoroughly practical advantages are achieved. It will be seen that the garment has wide utility in the surgical dressing field either for hospital use or for ordinary use in the home in treating wounds, incisions, and skin irritations and that the garment is one which is easily produced using materials which are readily available with the result that a good, serviceable product is obtained having facility for fitting any of a variety of users of different sizes to assure comfort and effectiveness while in use. It will also be appreciated that the garment may be worn to expose its surface directly to the affected areas of the body or may beput into service as a support for a bandage or bandages which themselves directly contact the skin.

While in the preferred embodiment cotton jersey garment material is specified, it will be appreciated that any of a number of other satisfactory materials also at times are substituted. If the nature of the wound is such that a considerable fluid discharge is produced, then it is often to advantage to make the garment from a thick absorbent fabric. On the other hand, a light, less cumbersome material may be employed with advantage where absorbency does not too importantly enter, for example when the garment is to be worn simply to protect the injured portion of the body from frictional irritation such as from over-garments of an irritating kind or to hold a separate bandage in place.

Although a very considerable advantage is had through the use of elastic connector means for the body of the garment thus to secure the garment in place, it will be understood that certain of the advantages consistent with the practice of this invention still are had by resorting to other than elastic connectors. Also it will be understood that other separable fasteners may at times be used in lieu of snap fasteners, such as buckles, hooks and eyes or the like or even tie strings of elastic or non-elastic types may be substituted for fastening the garment in place and that the adjustability of the specific fastening means may at times be dispensed with resorting to such remaining features of the garment as the stretchability of the fabric used to accomplish adjustability.

As many possible embodiments. of: the. invention; may.

- preted as illustrative and notas a limitation.

I, claim; 11. A bandaging garment. substantially of. waist length for use in. covering a. portion of the upper. body. of a person, saidv garment. including front andfback panels. having a uniting shoulder. and side, said panels and side affording. a waist edge. and forming an arm. holewith said shoulder, the. opposite end of said shoulder from said arm hole terminating at. an open. neck linehaving front and. back free ends respectively. merging with. free edges of said panel's. extending. to said waist edge, said front and back panels and shoulder. each. being of multiple ply. thickness and freebetween each other forming a.

pocket having an access opening. at said neckline, means for "separablyconnecting said free ends of. the neck line around theneck of the poison, and means, for se'parably connecting. the free edges of saidpanels around the waist of the person.

2. 'A bandaging garment substantially of waist length for use in covering a portion of. the upper body portion of a person, said garment. including front and back panels having a uniting shoulder and side, said panels and side affording a waist edge and. forming an arm hole with said shoulder, theopposite end of said shoulder from said arm hole temina'ting at an open neck linehaving front and hack free ends respectively merging with free edges of said panels extending to said waist edge,

means for separably connecting the free ends of said neck line around the neck of the person, an elastic extension of at least one of said panels and forming a portion of the free edge thereof, and means for connecting the free end of said elastic extension with the free edge of the other of said panels around the Waist of the person.

3. A bandaging garment substantially of Waist length for use in covering a portion of the upper body of a person, said garment including front and back panels having a uniting shoulder and side, said panels and side affording a waist edge and forming an arm hole with said shoulder, the opposite end of said shoulder from said arm hole terminating at an open neck line havine front and back free ends respectively merging with free edges of said panels extending to said waist edge, means for separably connecting the free ends of said neck line around the neck of the person, an extension of the free edge of at least one of said panels, and corresponding separable connector components respectively on the free end of said extension and associated with the free edge of the other of said panels, said separable connector components securing said panels around the waist of the person and having selective engagement with each other to modify the girth of the garment.

4. The bandaging garment set forth in claim 3 in which the separable connector components are male and female snap fastener components and of which certain of the components are spaced from each other in the girth direction to permit adjustable interconnection of the panels.

5. The bandaging garment set forth in claim 3 in which said front and back panels are made of soft, stretchable fabric.

6. A bandaging garment substantially of waist length for use in covering a portion of the upper body of a person, said garment including front and back panels made of soft, stretchable fabric and said panels having a uniting shoulder and side, said panels and side affording a waist edge and forming an arm hole with said shoulder, the opposite end of said shoulder from said arm hole terminating at an open neck line having front and back free ends respectively merging with free edges of said panels extending to said waist edge, means for 7 separably connecting the free ends of said neck line around the neck of the person, and means including a flexible tape extension of at least one of said panels for separably connecting the free edges of said panels around the waist of the person.

7. A bandaging garment substantially of waist length for use in covering a portion of the upper body of a person, said garment including front and pack panels having a uniting shoulder and side, said panels, side, and shoulder being of soft stretchable fabric, and said panels and side afiording a waist edge and forming an arm hole with said shoulder, the opposite end of said shoulder from said arm hole terminating at an open neck line having front and back free ends respectively merging with the free edges of said panels extending to said waist edge, means including flexible tape and a snap fastener for said tape for separably completing said neck line around the neck of the person, and means including flexible tape and a snap fastener for separably connecting the free edges of said panels around the waist of the person.

8. A bandaging garment substantially of waist length for use in covering a portion of the upper body of a person, said garment including front and back panels of soft stretchable fabric having a uniting shoulder and side, said panels and side afiording a waist edge and forming an arm hole with said shoulder, the opposite end of said shoulder from said arm hole terminating at an open neck line having front and hack free ends respectively merging with free edges of said panels extending to said waist edge, a pair of elastic tapes individually forming the corresponding free ends of said neck line, a second pair of elastic tapes individually forming corresponding portions of the edges of said panels substantially at said waist edge thereof, and an intermediate pair of elastic tapes situated between said other pairs of tapes and forming corresponding portions of the edges of said panels at points substantially above said pair of tapes disposed substantially at said waist edge, said pair of tapes at the neck line extending around the neck and the other pairs of tapes extending around the waist of the person and each of said pairs of tapes at their free ends supporting separable fastening components for separably engaging said tapes around therbody of the person.

9. A bandaging garment substantially of waist length for use in covering a portion of the upper body of a person, said garment including front and back panels made of soft, stretchable fabric and said panels having a uniting shoulder and side, said panels and side affording a waist edge and forming an arm hole with said shoulder, the opposite end of said shoulder from said arm hole terminating at an open neck line having front and back free ends respectively merging with free ends of said panels extending to said waist edge, said neck line including an extension and means for separably connecting the free ends of said neck line around the neck of the person, and at least one of said panels including an extension and means for separably connecting the free ends of said panels around the waist of the person.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

